Premium lager beer from Nigerian Breweries Plc, Gulder, celebrated its ambassador, Yemi Olatunji, better known as Yemi Blaq, who turned a year older on Thursday, May 19, 2016.
The birthday ceremony took place last week with his colleagues, friends and officials of Nigerian Breweries during the Nollywood Beer Academy, sponsored by Nigerian Breweries Plc, in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Edem Vindah, Corporate Media/Brand PR Manager, NB Plc, explained that the brand is proud of Yemi Blaq because he represents Gulder’s ideals of the “real man who is responsible, hardworking, demonstrates leadership and respect for others.”
Gulder, Edem added, stands for the ultimate sign of achievement, masculinity, respect, self-assurance and success and also a premium quality beer for young success conscious men and women
Blaq, who became a Gulder brand ambassador last year, came into the movie industry in 2005. He has featured in over 250 films and he is seen as a hard working movie producer and one of the most famous in Nollywood.
Blaq was born and raised in a family of four siblings in Ondo state Nigeria and grew up knowing he was going to go into the arts.
From his primary school days, he got a lot of encouragement and support. After he played the role of the incorruptible judge in Olu Olagoke’s ‘The Incorruptible Judge’, his teacher came home and said to his mum, ‘oh this one is going to become an actor. Since then he has nurtured it up.
“I always wanted to act, I always loved acting. I used to act back in my days in school I studied theatre arts in school. I travelled and after I came back I joined the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN),” he said.
Yemi believes he was one of the lucky ones because he got into the industry when everyone said it was a bit tough. He was in it for about five or six months auditioning for roles, and talking to people for opportunities. Then he ran into a really large big audition which turned out to be a grand encounter.
“My first experience on set was with Obi Osotule and Mathias Agbo in Benin city. They were shooting this movie, ‘The Unseen Eyes’ and I had gone there to just flex my acting muscles. I got on set with the rest of the people who came for the audition and we started reading,” Blaq said.
‘Lost to Lust’ was the movie that gave him a breakthrough, being his first lead role movie with Mercy Johnson. “It came out successful and since then every director and producer want me to work for them. Because in the industry if you are good, people tend to look for you, to utilize your talent “he said.
After his breakthrough with ‘Lost to lust’ directors and filmmakers started calling upon him to feature in movies.
